Nikola Motor claims its Nikola One semi, which uses a turbine to generate power for six electric motors, is somehow 100-percent zero emissions, in a press release issued Monday. Unfortunately, Nikola Motors doesn't exactly explain how it pulled off this impossible feat. The press release offers a strange non-answer from CEO Trevor Milton instead.

When asked why no one had accomplished this before, Milton said, "It requires a specific zero
emission refinement process of fuel and gutsy engineering and product execution. A traditional
manufacturer would have to partner with an oil company, environmental group, electric vehicle
engineering firm, a broad spectrum of suppliers and a world-class consulting firm to have
figured it out. At Nikola, all of our development and talent is under one roof," said Milton.

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While it's true that natural gas-fueled vehicles emit fewer greenhouse gases than their conventional counterparts, as our friends at Jalopnik point out, it's nowhere near 100 percent fewer emissions. If Nikola was able to pull off zero emissions with a natural gas-powered vehicle, it'd be a miraculous feat.

"We will be releasing exactly how this is done in two weeks in a separate press release. We know it is frustrating with a lack of specifics. We promise to give a clear answer in two weeks how this is done. That delay of information and explanation comes from some acquisitions we are completing and can't give away some of our key partners just quite yet."

In the meantime, all we can do is speculate, and to be completely honest, it sounds a lot like Nikola is scrambling for a response to Tesla's recent announcement that it will build a zero-emissions semi.

A more efficient semi–like the truck Nikola Motor first pitched–is a lovely idea; A zero-emissions semi–like Nikola is now pitching–is an even greater idea. But will it come to fruition? Only time will tell.